Student Docent Program for City of Quincy Public Schools

I’m thrilled to be contracted with the City of Quincy Public Schools to work with high school students from Quincy High School and North Quincy High School on a pilot program that provides an elective experience for culturally-minded students that builds new curricular connections with the community’s vast array of historic and cultural organizations. I’ll be working with Bob Damon, the Director of Historic and Heritage Resources for Quincy, on creating compelling learning outcomes, training session outlines, and student final project parameters. Together, we’ll be leading the training sessions in March and April, leading final presentation “field trips” in April and May, and inspiring the next generation of public history interpreters.

From object interpretation to artifact and collections care, we’ll dive into understanding identity and authority in public history interpretation, museum education and public history 101, and inquiry-based facilitation. The students will hear from guest speakers, interact with artifacts from Quincy area museums, and plan their own final projects. I’m really looking forward to working with students again for the first time in a few years. Rising seniors who participate in the program will be eligible to participate in Quincy Summer Youth Corps paid internship programs at local historic sites during summer 2022. High school students need to see that careers in museums and public history are a real thing!

What makes this project even more meaningful and full-circle is who I’m working with: Bob Damon is the man who hired me as an educator at Old North Church & Historic Site eleven years ago! He has watched my career blossom since then, so it’s a privilege for me to be of service to a project of his.